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iPad market share hits all-time low as Android tablets rise to prominence

Apple’s share of the tablet market has hit an all-time low since the arrival of the original iPad as the company faces increasing competition from the recent rise of Android tablets.

According to figures by Trend Force, the iPad market share has slumped during recent months despite Apple remaining the dominant player on the tablet scene. During its recent quarterly profits call, Apple revealed that for the three months to the end of June, iPad sales saw a year-on-year drop from 17 million to 14.6 million units.

With the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 both expected to be formally unveiled this autumn, it is anticipated that Apple will see its market share rise again towards the end of the year as its latest product lines once again drop consumers.

Although Apple is sure to be concerned by its drop in market share, it will arguably be more troubled by Samsung  nearing on its mantle as the tablet leader. With the Samsung Galaxy S4 having already eaten into the iPhone 5’s dominant, latest figures have shown that with Apple’s share of the tablet market dropping to 35.5 per cent, Samsung has risen to second place with a 21.4 per cent share.

Manufacturing partner for the Google Nexus 7, both the original model and the newly confirmed second-generation tablet, Asus is the third largest tablet manufacturer with a mere 3.9 per cent market share.

With a number of companies moving into hardware game to launch tablets, retailer and Kindle mastermind Amazon is now the world’s fifth largest tablet provider with the Amazon Kindle Fire HD. Microsoft is sixth despite faltering Microsoft Surface Pro sales.

Read More:
iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7

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